Daenerys and friend in happier times. Can't tell you where friend is now, because of spoiler risk

These were the most watched programs on Pay TV on Monday: 1 NRL Titans V Storm (FoxSports1) 185,000; 2 Game of Thrones final 3.30pm (showcase) 181,000; 3 Monday Night with Matty Johns (FoxSports1) 115,000; 4 Game of Thrones final 7.30pm (showcase) 110,000; 5 AFL 360 (FoxFooty) 107,000. In the US, the final ep drew 9.1 million viwers over three showings (which would usually imply an Australian audience of 900,000). So a hell of a lot of people downloaded illegally or were waiting for a legal purchase opportunity.

Having been scolded for putting spoilers in my headlines (see Comments, below) I am trying to avoid them until readers have caught up with their recordings and downloads of the final episode of Game of Thrones. But the following observation should be safe.

Reader comment of the day: 'GRRM really should just finish the damn story and put us all out of our misery. He's not exactly a young, fit man.' - em

The ABC radio talk jock Mark Colvin has observed, via twitter, that the final ep contains the best skeleton fighting since Ray Harryhausen (a reference to the 1963 film Jason and the Argonauts) and I'd certainly agree that the special effects work is excellent. But to me, the wights are the weakest elements of the GoT narrative. The odd moment of magic is acceptable, but the wights defy all the laws of physics. What motivates them, with no brain? How do they see, with no eyes? How do they run, with no muscles? The less we see in season five of the fairy kingdom of the north, the happier I'll be. Go to Comments, below, to discuss what you made of the magnificent final ep, but if you haven't seen it yet, be warned there are spoilers down there.

Basil is faultless in the 7Two ratings

There seems to be a core of 637,000 soccer fanatics in Australia's mainland capitals: That's how many got up at 4am and stayed watching till 10am on Saturday to see all the matches. About 1.7 million in the mainland capitals (plus 535,000 regionals) saw Australia's embarrassment against Chile. On Sunday, 836,000 watched Italy defeat England. The charts below may contain different figures because the OzTAM boffins seem to be averaging over several matches. SBS should speak severely to OzTAM. To see how the audience for soccer compares with other forms of football, go to Australia's most watched TV programs of all time.

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Game of Thrones continues to be the most watched non-sports program on pay TV. The second-last episode of season 4 pulled a total of 283,000 to the 3.30pm and 7.30pm showings. The writers promised that the final episode of this season would be the most elaborate of any season -- and made no promises about refraining from further character deaths. To learn how Stannis feels about the power struggles, go to A game of yawns for Stephen.

Check out our chart for the extraordinary variety of programming that is now available for every weirdo taste, and go to comments, below, to ask for data on your favourite cult experience.

OzTAM Overnight estimates, mainland capitals. Copyright OzTAM Pty Limited 2013. The data may not be reproduced, published or communicated (electronically or in hard copy) without the prior written consent of OzTAM.

The Tribal Mind column, by David Dale, appears in a printed form every Sunday in The Sun-Herald and The Sunday Age, and also as a forum on this website, where it welcomes your comments.

David Dale teaches communications at UTS, Sydney. He is the author of The Little Book of Australia - A snapshot of who we are (Allen and Unwin). For daily updates on Australian attitudes, bookmark The Tribal Mind.

18 comments so far

As I have read all the boring books I won't say. But I will say your partly right , TM. I don't think even GRRM will kill off everyone's favourite little hero.

And just how good is "The Good Wife" this season. I especially liked it this week when Alicia finally kicked out her no good husband once and for all. Though I do wish she had done that last season and gone off with Will. But that's just the romantic in me!

Commenter

em

Location

Date and time

June 13, 2014, 11:29AM

But will Tyrion escape? I'm reading the third book, but have managed with difficulty to keep behind the TV program, so I don't know!I know where I'll be on Monday at 3.30pm, phone off the hook, volume up loud, and totally immersed.I have fingers crossed for Jon Snow and for Tyrion, but know anything could happen.....

Commenter

Jen13

Location

Sydney

Date and time

June 13, 2014, 11:55AM

I'll be at work but will watch GoT as soon as I get home. Can't wait, but at the same time sad for it being the last ep this year. No more GoT for what, a year? Bummer!

Commenter

em

Location

Date and time

June 15, 2014, 5:20PM

Australia's embarrassment against Chile? Who wrote this crap? Do they even understand world football? The Aussies are the lowest ranked country at the World Cup finals in Brazil, and we have been tipped by many to be beaten easily in all 3 of our pool games. However, the Socceroos surprised many with their style of play, and really put Chile under a great deal of pressure. The Australian team played fantastically well, and the whole country should be proud of their performance.

There may be few reasons for the seemingly low numbers watching the SBS telecast. Firstly, I was unable to watch the game 'live' because of the 8:00am kick off. Like many others, I was getting my kids to a junior football game. I did note that many parents on the sidelines were keeping track of the game via their phones, rather than watch their kids play. Secondly, I know plenty of football fans who got together to watch the game with a group, rather than sit at home alone and watch the game alone. Our local RSL had about 200 people watching the game on a big screen, while a number of local pubs and clubs held similar World Cup mornings.

Commenter

Sweeper

Location

Date and time

June 16, 2014, 9:43AM

And that's not including the number of people in WA who didn't watch because of the completely unrealistic time of 6am. Knowing I can catch the replay later in the day and stay in my warm bed was a massive incentive for me to sleep in and miss the live telecast. How many people did the same thing I did?

Commenter

Jessica

Location

Date and time

June 16, 2014, 1:40PM

now tell us which foreign country it is that you really support.

Commenter

i

Location

Date and time

June 17, 2014, 9:44AM

I support the Socceroos and Australian football. But, it doesn't matter if Australia is playing or not. I love watching the different styles of football, and like most fans, will watch ANY football that's being telecast.

Kerry Packer did NOT understand the average football (soccer) fan when Channel purchased the rights to broadcast the World Cup matches some years ago (2002?). He chose a handful of games to broadcast, including the final, then sold off the rest of the games cheaply. SBS bought them, and telecast them live for 3 weeks, and had better ratings than most of Channel 9's selected matches.

Commenter

Sweeper

Location

Date and time

June 17, 2014, 11:47AM

Cheesh. You can't even try to avoid SPOILERS in the heading?? First last week talking about the battle on the Wall and now Tyrion escaping something??

Yeah its aired on Oz on some TVs so I get its fair game to have articles on it. But do you have to make sure anyone who might not be right up to the latest episode possible gets tipped off? Heck the books to next season have already been published, so why don't you just put us all out of our misery and headline the major plot points?

Here's two headline suggestions: "Did they get the big battle right?" and "How do you think he will escape?". People who have watch the episode know what you're talking about. People who haven't, don't.

Commenter

Peter

Location

Oz

Date and time

June 16, 2014, 1:17PM

Come on, be fair. Tyrion is always escaping something and there's always fighting on the wall. Those references are only plot spoilers for people who have never seen GoT at all.

Commenter

The Tribal Mind

Location

Date and time

June 16, 2014, 1:22PM

I feel your pain Peter! I'm only up to season 3 of The Good Wife, and the terrible story-spoilers have just gone and said a major character dies in season 5. I can't believe they didn't wait to talk about it until we'd all caught up. Terribly inconsiderate.....